Gate-operator.



G. REMHARK.

GATE OPERATOR.

FPLICATION HLED MAY I5. l9l5.

Patented Jan. 9,1917.

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C. REMHARK.

GATE OPERATOR.

APPucATloN man MAY l5. 1915.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

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IG! l IEE' wim/8858 CHARLES REMHARK, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. l

GATE-OPERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

AppIication led 'May 15, 1915. Serial No. 28,324.

To allvwlwm t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES REMHARK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Gate-Operator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a type of gate adapted to be employed across a highway, or as a farm gate, and mounted to swing on vertical pivots, the gate being provided with pull cords so arranged as to permit of the gate being opened by a person approaching the same, and closed by said person after having passed through the gate, the pull cords being adapted to be operated by a person afoot, or by a rider or driver, the arrangement being such that the gate may be again closed by the pull cords, after having been opened.

Objects of the invention are to provide a gate of the indicated character, improved in various particulars with respect to its latching means and gate opening and closing means, and with respect to counterbalancing the gate for its easy operation, whereby the opening and closing will be positively effected, and with facility.

Other objects and advantages of my improved construction will appear from theY more specific description following.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views,

ance with the illustrated example, the gate 10 embodies any. approved arrangement of bars, and includes a vertical pivot post 11. The post 11 is stepped at its lower end in a cement base block or footing 12, in which is counter sunk a step bearing 13 receiving the vertical pivot 14 which preferably is formed on the underside of a bearing plate 15 suitably secured to the lower end of the `pivot post l1. At the upper end the post 11 has a cap vplate 16 and said plate and the post are provided with an orifice to receive a pivot pin 17. Said pivot pin 17 passes downwardly through an overhanging frame member 18 which is rigid with a structure designated generally bythe numeral 19, and comprising brace members 19 as well as vertical posts from which posts the overhanging member 18 extends forwardly to the pivot post 11. The frame 19 includes A also a top cross-bar 20?; Y

I Forming part ofv he gate 10vis a diagonal brace bar`21 consisting preferably of longitudinal strips disposed at each side of the gate 10. rlhe said diagonal brace 21 passes through the pivot post 11 and is continued beyond the said post in the form of an ex tension 21a. Above the extension 21a a top bar 22 is secured to the same and to the post 11, and nally a rigid prop brace 23 may extend from the lower end of the Vpost 11 at the back to the upper end of the diagonal brace bar 21 and the top Lbar 22. The elements 21a, 22 and-23,` and certain latch operating 4means hereinafter explained serve to counterbalance the gate 10 to relieve the pivots of any lateral strains Yand prevent binding thereof, to permit of the gate being easily turned on its pivots.

On the frame 19 I provide improved latch devices for the gate n the form of a pair of vertically ranginglatches 24.l The latches 24 are rockably mounted at their lower` ends on the frame 19, as, for instance, by pivotally securing the same to a cross-bar 20b by means of straps 20, and said latches are spaced apart so as to accommodate between them the outer end of the top bar 22.

In order to release the top bar 22 from the latches 24 and permit the gate to swing on its pivots, a contact kwheel or roller 26 is mounted on a bracket 26EL secured to vertical rocking arms 27 which are pivoted at their upper ends as at 28 to the top barv22, these arms being operated by pull kcords in the manner hereinafter explained. The wheels 26 are adapted to have contact with inclined surfaces of the latches 24, said surfaces preferably presented by wear plates 25. The arrangement is such that a vertical rocking of a bar 27 will press the adjacent latch 24 outwardly to free the arm 22. In order to actuate the latch 24 upon the closing movement of the gate, the bar 22 of the gate is provided with a horizontal wheel or roller 29 at its outer end adapted to have contact with strike plates 30. One strike plate 30 is provided for each latch 24 and movably engages the same, preferably by a loose vertical pivot 31. At the opposite end each strike plate 30 is hingedly connected as at 32 with the frame 19. The strike plates have wear plates 30ad secured thereto to receive the wear of the roller 29. Each latch24 is under the inliuence of a separate retractile spring 33, the said springs being secured at one end to the respective latches 24 and at the outer endbeing secured to the overhanging plate 18, or equivalent fixed member. yIt is to be noted that the latches 24 are independent, and that each latch at its upper end is rabbeted as at 24a present ing an upwardly projecting member 24b that extends vabove the top cross-bar 20El of the iframe 19, so that said bar 201 will constitute a stop and limit the movement of the latch under the infiuence of its spring 33.

A system of pull cords is provided in connection with the latch tripping arms 27 and the bar 22, or equivalent element of the gate. At each side of the gate is a pull cord 34 connected at'one end with the adjacent vertical rocking arm 27 and passing over a sheave 35 on the bar 22 and over a sheave- 36 on a member 37 supported on a wayside post 38 distant from the gate and the frame 19. Thus the pull cords 34 extend in opposite directions along the road from the respective latch operating arms 27. The free depending ends of the pull cords 34 are provided with weights 39 to maintain the pull cords in position under more or less tension and to constitute a hand hold to be grasped by the person desiring to operate the gate. Additional pull cords'40 are provided, these being attached to the gate at opposite sides, preferably to the bar 22, as at 41,'and extend in opposite directions over sheaves 42 on members appurtenant to the roadside posts 38, said pull cords 40 having weights 43 similar to the weights 39.

With the above described construction and arrangement of parts, a person approaching the gate 10 from either side, by exerting a pull on the adjacent pull cord 34, will cause the adjacent arm 27 to be rocked upwardly, whereby the roller 26 thereon, by contacting with the inclined surface 25 on the adjacent latch 24, will rock said latch outwardly in opposition to the spring 33 and release the top bar 22 on thegate extension. The initial pull on the cord 34 having released the bar 22, a continued pull on said cord will swing the counter balance extension of the gate toward theoperator, while the kgate proper 10 will move in a direction away from the operator, as willreadily be understood. In the swinging of the gate the roller 29 on the bar 22 will move in contact with the strike plate 30 and maintain the latch in the released position until the gate has swung clear of the same. The gate having been opened, and it being desired to again close the gate, a pull on the pull cord 40 at the opposite side will give a return movement to the counter balance extension, by reason of the said cord 40 being connected with the bar 22. In the closing movement of the gate, as the bar 22 approaches the closed position, the roller 29 thereon will contact with the strike plate 30, and the connection of the latter with the previously operated latch 24 will rock said latch until the bar 22 is received between the pair of latches, whereupon the latch will be closed by the action of its spring 33.

In order to hold the gate latched in the open position, and cause the latch means to be automatically released when the pull cord 40 is caused to give a closing movement to the gate, a gravity latch 45 is pivoted to each wayside post 38. A cord 46, or equivalent extends upwardly from each latch 45 to a ianged roller 47 which rides freely on each pull cord 40. Ordinarily the sag in the cord 40 will permit the latch 45 to gravitate into engagement with members 48 on the top bar of the gate 10. When, however, the cord 40 is made taut by a pull thereon to close the gate, the initial tautening will suficiently raise the roller 47 to leave the latch 45 out of engagement with the members 48. To prevent the roller 47 from becoming displaced, the housing 49 of said roller is connected by chains 50 or other flexible means with the overhead member 37.

The described construction affords a practical means for carrying my invention into effect, and I would state in conclusion that I do not limit myself strictly to the structural details herein illustrated, since, mam'- festly, the same can be considerably varied without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a swing gate, of separate latches spaced to receive a gate member to retain the latter in the closed position, independent latch operating means on the gate, and actuating means pivotally mounted on the gate connected with the latch operating means and having initial movement to actuate the said latch operating means and serving to open the gate afterl the release of the latter.

2. The combination with a swing gate, of separate latch members spaced to receive a member of the gate to retain the latter in closed position, latch operating means pivotally mounted on the gate to operate either latch, pull cords extending in opposite di- Vso rections from the gate and connected with the latch operating means, and arranged so that a pull thereon will initially actuate said operating means and then swing the gate, and movably mounted strike plates operatively connected with the latches and disposed in position to be struck by the gate in the closing of the latter.

3. The combination with a gate having a vertical pivot post and a counter balancing extension beyond the post, a latch mounted in position to engage the said extension in the closed position of the gate, latch operating means on the said extension, pull cords extending in opposite directions from the gate and connected with the latch operating means, said pull cords being adapted to actuate the latch operating means and then swing the gate, and a second latch operating means operatively connected with the latch and disposed in position to be actuated by the gate extension in the closing of the gate.

4. The combination with a gate, of a pull cord, operatively connected with the gate, guide means over which the cord runs, means tending to maintain the cord approXimately taut, a latch mounted to engage the gate in the open position, and a roller riding on the cord and having operative connection' with the said latch, whereby to raise the latch and disengage the same from the gate when a pull is exerted on the cord.

5. The combination with a gate, of a-pull cord, operatively connected with the gate, guide means over which the cord runs, means tending to maintain the cord approXimately taut, a latch mounted to engage the gate in the open position, a roller riding on the cord and having operative connection with the said latch, whereby to raise the latch and disengage the same from the gate when a pull is exerted on the cord, a relatively Xed element, and flexible means connecting the said element with the roller, to prevent displacement of the latter'.

6. The combination of a swinging gate having an extension at its rearend, a pair of movable and ring pressed latch members between which the extension of the gate projects when the gate is closed, a movable member for operating the latch members, and means connected with the said movable member to first operate it and then swing the gate into open position.

7 The combination of a swinging gate having an extension at its rear end, a pair of pivoted and spring pressed latch members between which the extension of the gate projects when in closed position, a pivoted member for swinging the latch members, means connected with the said member to irst operate it and thereby release the gate and then swing the gate into open position, and means for operating the latch members on the closing movement of the gate.

8. The combination of a swinging gate having an extension at its rear end, a pair of pivoted and spring pressed latch members between which the extension of the gate projects, a pivoted member carried by the extension of the gate and adapted to engage the latch members to swing them and thereby releases the gate extension, pull cords secured to the pivoted member and extending in opposite directions, said cords serving to rst operate the said member and then swing the gate into open position, and means on the 'ate extension for operating the latch memers on the closing movement of the Gate.

C In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

C ARLES REMHARK.

Witnesses:

HARRY R. CHAPPEILE, E. J. DowNs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

